As the Old Madam finished speaking, Meng Shu Tang turned her eyes to look at Gu Yun Ci, who pursed his lips and remained silent.
Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.
"Cough, cough...", the Old Madam coughed a few times.
The Old Madam's health had always been poor.
She had lung cancer and had undergone three surgeries. She used to be quite plump in her youth, but now she was skin and bones.
The surgery a year ago had nearly cost her her life.
For the past few years, she had been living on Donghua Mountain, recuperating while devoting herself to chanting Buddhist scriptures.
Meng Shu Tang could not guess why she had suddenly returned, but seeing her cough, she could not help but feel heartache. "Grandmother, are you feeling unwell again?"
"It's nothing, just an old ailment."
The Old Madam was accustomed to reporting only good news and not the bad, but today was an exception. "A while ago, my thyroid was bothering me, so I had another small surgery. At my age, every surgery is a race against the Grim Reaper.
But I didn't tell any of you, because telling you would only make you worry for nothing."
Meng Shu Tang said, "Grandmother, you don't have to carry everything on your own. A surgery is such a big deal; you should have told us.
I know you didn't say anything because you feel heartache for us, but we feel even more heartache for you. Now that the surgery is over, you must rest well. If you feel any discomfort, please don't hide it from us again, do you hear me?"
She gripped the Old Madam's hand tightly, her soft tone filled with irrepressible heartache.
The Old Madam smiled with satisfaction. "It was Grandmother's fault this time; next time I will definitely have you accompany me. Actually," she changed the subject and placed Gu Yun Ci's hand on Meng Shu Tang's, "you and Yun Ci should hurry up and give me a chubby great-grandson. If I can hold and play with him every day, my mood will improve, and my illness will naturally get better!"
After saying this, she did not forget to glare at Gu Yun Ci: "Did you hear me? You brat, don't just focus on your company; having a child is much more important than signing a ten-billion-dollar contract!"
Gu Ye Heng did not think so.
Even though Meng Shu Tang was a recognized master of Ancient Bead restoration in the industry, in the end, she was just a craftswoman making a living!
What was Gu Yun Ci's status?
The person standing by his side had to be a daughter from a prominent family who was his equal and could help his future.
Meng Shu Tang was far from that!
"The meal is ready. Don't just keep talking, Old Madam, let's eat!" Gu Ye Heng called out.
During the meal, the Old Madam looked at Gu Yun Ci with her almond-shaped eyes, then glanced at Meng Shu Tang, smiling faintly without saying a word.
After the meal, the Old Madam had a heart-to-heart talk with Meng Shu Tang for a while, then found an excuse to call Gu Yun Ci upstairs. She began, "I know what you are planning, but you should give up that idea as soon as possible. My granddaughter-in-law can only be Shu Tang. If you want a divorce, you have to get past me first.
Also, stay away from Bai Ci Xian. Don't you young people have a saying that the best ex is a dead one?
So what is she now, a zombie?"
Gu Yun Ci lowered his head, his expression somewhat sullen. "Don't interfere in my affairs."
The Old Madam, who could not be called healthy but was still self-sufficient, suddenly appeared weak and leaned against the table to steady herself. "I have lung cancer and just had surgery recently; don't provoke me."
As she spoke, she began to cough violently.
Gu Yun Ci's hand, hanging by his side, curled slightly. "I understand. You should rest!"
After saying this, he helped the Old Madam to the bed, closed the door, and returned to the bedroom.
As soon as he left, the weak Old Madam became visibly spirited. "Hmph, this Bai Ci Xian, I must teach her a lesson."
Saying this, she took out her mobile phone and made a call.
Downstairs, Meng Shu Tang was about to help the servant clean up. She had always been a diligent person, and at Shallow Bay, she would also help Zhang Ma and Li Sao with their work.
But before she reached the kitchen, Gu Ye Heng stopped her.
"Shu Tang, come here for a moment."
The father-in-law and daughter-in-law stood in the corridor at the entrance. The wind was quite strong, and Gu Ye Heng's white shirt billowed in the breeze.
"If it weren't for the Old Madam's meddling back then, I would never have agreed to let Yun Ci marry you. He deserves a better wife."
Gu Ye Heng vented all the dissatisfaction he had kept in his heart for these years. "In these three years, our Gu Family hasn't treated you poorly, right? Since the divorce agreement was signed, that means you are divorced. Why did you still come over when Yun Ci went to pick you up tonight?
Or are you intentionally dragging this out to torture me?"
Since the marriage, Gu Ye Heng had always looked at her with disdain.
She had always been respectful and had never dared to defy him.
Torture him? Did she dare?
Her heart suddenly twinged with pain, and Meng Shu Tang clenched her hands. "Is this marriage something I could control? You saw it back then; it was your eldest son who dragged me away!
And the current divorce is not up to me either!"
Gu Ye Heng raised his hand, wanting to slap Meng Shu Tang.
But suddenly remembering something, he clenched his hand tightly again, and his tone softened slightly.
"In these three years, Jin Xing has suffered a lot. Every time I think of him in Africa, I feel so distressed that I can't sleep.
He has lived in luxury since he was a child; is he used to the rough food over there?"
Meng Shu Tang had never known that Gu Jin Xing was in Africa.
After marriage, she had focused on being Madam Gu and never asked about any man other than Gu Yun Ci.
But she felt apologetic toward Gu Jin Xing.
"You don't need to be anxious; we will get a divorce."
Once she left this house, Gu Jin Xing could come back, and Gu Yun Ci could marry the woman he loved. Everyone would be happy!
Her tone was calm, but her eyes were filled with hidden tears.
Gu Ye Heng nodded slightly upon hearing this. "You and Yun Ci are simply not on the same path. Your marriage was a mistake from the very beginning.
Staying by his side will only make the hatred between him and Jin Xing grow deeper."
After saying this, he turned and left.
Having said so much, Meng Shu Tang felt that this last sentence was what Gu Ye Heng most wanted to say.
In her mind, the words Zhang Ma had said that night surfaced: Gu Yun Ci and Gu Jin Xing had never gotten along since they were children.
Yes, from the beginning, their marriage was a mistake. From start to finish, she was just a tool for Gu Yun Ci's revenge.
Now that she had been used, she was to be discarded.
When she returned to the room, Gu Yun Ci was already lying on the bed. She tidied up briefly and got into bed as well.
Just as she sat down, she heard the man say, "Get down."
Meng Shu Tang looked around the room, which had only one bed and not even a sofa. "If I don't sleep on the bed, where should I go?"
"Solve it yourself."
Meng Shu Tang did not obey. For these three years, she had been obedient enough.
She placed the pillow directly in the middle of the bed. "President Gu, don't overthink it; this is just to cope with Grandmother."
Saying this, she lay down fully clothed.
Just as she lay down, she said, "President Gu, I see you haven't signed the divorce agreement yet, you..."
Meng Shu Tang had just started when Gu Yun Ci's phone rang. He glanced at it and slowly got up.
His gaze turned toward Meng Shu Tang, the lines of his profile revealing a cold and hard indifference.
It was a call from Bai Ci Xian.
"Brother Yun Ci, I've been in a car accident. Can you come and take care of me?"
"Okay."
The man hung up the phone, got up to put on his clothes, and before leaving, he came to Meng Shu Tang's side and pulled her into his arms. His well-defined fingers pinched her chin, and his lips curled with cold indifference. "The bed is yours now, Madam Gu."
His movements were as forceful and gentle as usual, but his words were as cold as a bucket of ice water in the dead of winter, drenching her from head to toe.
She stared at him quietly.
After the man left, she raised her hand to pull the thin blanket up, covering half of her face tightly.
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